KObe disrespected Ewing, Willis Reed and Walt Frazier

[ChrisRichards]

November 25, 2009, 9:26 am
Bryant Believes Knicks Will Get a Star, Just Not Him
By JONATHAN ABRAMS
LOS ANGELES — Kobe Bryant has avoided discussion of free agency in 2010, saying he will not discuss scenarios hypothetically.

Bubbling below the LeBron James bonanza is the notion that Bryant, too, can become a free agent. Few expect him to leave the Los Angeles Lakers and Bryant and his agent Rob Pelinka say they are working toward a contract extension. With few sound bites from either of them, reporters have mostly left the topic alone.

When nudged on the issue by New York reporters, Bryant touched briefly on the topic regarding his Olympic teammates James and Dwyane Wade, while removing himself from the discussion.

“It’ll be interesting,” Bryant said after the Lakers beat the Knicks, 100-90, Tuesday. “It’ll be interesting. I know those guys want to sit back and see their options. New York will definitely be one of the options. Whether they go or not, I don’t know.”

Bryant said he believed New York has never had one of the league’s most notable players, like Bryant, James, or Michael Jordan. (Bryant seems to count Hall of Famers like Walt Frazer, Willis Reed, Dave DeBusschere, Patrick Ewing as role players). They may land a player of Bryant’s caliber next summer. It just won’t be him.

“It’ll make a difference,” Bryant said. “That city has never had that. They’ve never had a flashy or marquee guy. If you look back to the years that they won championships, it’s always been a team effort. They never had a star, so this will be the first time they’ve had one of those guys.”

http://offthedribble.blogs.nytimes.c...-just-not-him/



man this guy needs to know history before he opens his mouth

[JoeTait75]

The Knicks disrespect their legends on a nightly basis more than Kobe, LeBron or anyone else could ever hope to.

[ChrisRichards]

The Knicks disrespect their legends on a nightly basis more than Kobe, LeBron or anyone else could ever hope to.

Come on, not acknowledging Reed, Frazier and Ewing as Marquee players is just disrespectful Lets not talk about the organization in general.

[JoeTait75]

Come on, not acknowledging Reed, Frazier and Ewing as Marquee players is just disrespectful Lets not talk about the organization in general.

The Knicks have always sold those early '70s teams as supremely cohesive units, with no man bigger than the whole. Kobe was simply buying in to the view that organization has of those teams, in so many words.

[ChrisRichards]

The Knicks have always sold those early '70s teams as supremely cohesive units, with no man bigger than the whole. Kobe was simply buying in to the view that organization has of those teams, in so many words.

Ewing played in the 70's?

[ChrisRichards]

You have so much to learn, kid. There is a reason why no one talks about Ewing, Walt, and Willis when you are talking about all-time greats. Ewing should have been that, but he sort of failed to be the guy they thought he was coming out of college.

Still not enough reason why Ewing should not be considered "Marquee"

[JoeTait75]

Ewing played in the 70's?

Last I checked, Reed and Frazier did.

[ChrisRichards]

Last I checked, Reed and Frazier did.

Last I check Ewing was mentioned in the article. But somehow you skipped that

[Tacker]

You have so much to learn, kid. There is a reason why no one talks about Ewing, Walt, and Willis when you are talking about all-time greats. Ewing should have been that, but he sort of failed to be the guy they thought he was coming out of college.

What are you smoking, Ewing was a great player and played up to his expectations its just that he played in the Jordan Era...
Him and Shaq were the only players in the East to lead their team into the finals during the 90s.......

[ChrisRichards]

Try putting the quote into context. "Marquee" to you, is not "Marquee" to Kobe. When I first read the article yesterday, it raised my eyebrows when he said Ewing, but I see his point.

A Marquee to me (in this case Ewing) was a Marquee to the same people who watched Ewing play basketball in the 80's-90's.


Ewing was an NBA All Defense, All NBA team and NBA All star (11x) for multiple times in his career. He won ROY, was selected as one of the 50 greatest players of all time. He is a HOF'er.


When people talk about the Knicks in the 90's it was Ewing's team.


Yeah im sure my understanding of a "Marquee" player is right there with the rest of the world. If Wade or Lebron mentioned this, im sure you Laker hacks would be all over their throats.

[ChrisRichards]

What are you smoking.

he was smoking Kobe Bryant flavored cigarettes.

[ChrisRichards]

What am I smoking??? Ewing coming out of college was touted as the next Wilt, or better. I'm not denying he was a great player, but he definitely fell short of what was expected. I'm glad you brought up the fact that he failed to get past MJ, which supports my argument. The Knicks should have won some of those series in the 90's, but Ewing was never able to come up big, like true "Marquee"
players. And don't give me that MJ bull , what happen when MJ retired, Ewing became Hakeem's .

so ewing failed to win a championship and that doesnt make him marquee?


barkley, malone, stockton,iverson are not marquee because they did not win a le

[ElNono]

Exactly! Barkely, Malone, Stockon, and Iverson are not marquee players, they are role players

[NBA Junkie]

It's good to see that Kobe winning a le without Shaq didn't go to his head.

[JamStone]

I agree with Kobe. The Knicks have had great players before, and maybe you could make a case for Walt Frazier being that marquee player. But he was more flashy off the court than on. And, as great a player as Frazier was, he isn't in the same class as a LeBron or Wade. The Knicks really haven't had a guy like that. It's true.

[ezau]

Exactly! Barkely, Malone, Stockon, and Iverson are not marquee players, they are role players

Wow. These guys were the centerpieces of their teams back then and you consider them as role players?

[ezau]

You should also add Robinson to that list. Kobe should have used a better word for these failures at leadership, but I get his point.

Gasol and Bynum will never be half the player that Robinson was.

[JoeTait75]

Exactly! Barkely, Malone, Stockon, and Iverson are not marquee players, they are role players that could never step up and lead.

Dude. Stockton? Seriously?

[Chieflion]

Yup, Stockton. His greatest attribute was his health. I can take 20 PG's over the years, and put them on that same team, let them play 20 years, and they would have given the same result. He was a role player.

I see. That makes plenty of sense. Garnett without the Celtics would have been a role player too.

[ezau]

You are totally missing the point. I can take each and every last one of those guys and swap them on other teams during their era, and they would be role players. Just because they were the lead guys on their teams doesnt mean . Baron Davis was Golden States Franchise player when they beat the Mavs, but on a really good team, he's a role player, the same can be said for all of the other players mentioned.

Stockton, the greatest pure PG to play the game=role player?
Malone, one of the greatest power forwards to play the game=role player?

I know that these guys weren't able to beat Jordan in the 90s' but how many did?

[ezau]

Yup, Stockton. His greatest attribute was his health. I can take 20 PG's over the years, and put them on that same team, let them play 20 years, and they would have given the same result. He was a role player.

Ok, so name 20 PGs who would've been as successful as Stockton if they played for the Jazz

[JoeTait75]

Lets be honest, you use that pure PG to exclude the greatest PG, Magic, so I'll play. Zeke was a much better player than Stockton, and he kicked Jordans ass plenty of times, and he didn't have one of the greatest PF's of all-time. Now what?

Rodman and Mahorn were kicking Jordan's ass, not Zeke. Although Zeke was good for punching someone in the back of the head and running away.

Stockton was a money player. He took every big shot for that Jazz team and made a lot of them. You want to dog Malone for not coming up large in the clutch, that's one thing. But Stockton was a player.

[Chef Boyardee]

People need to reread what he says. Ewing wasn't exactly the kind of player that people specifically went to see. Was Ewing a flashy player? No. There's nothing flashy about elbow jumpers and those ugly ass hook shots he loved so much.

[ChrisRichards]

I agree with Kobe. The Knicks have had great players before, and maybe you could make a case for Walt Frazier being that marquee player. But he was more flashy off the court than on. And, as great a player as Frazier was, he isn't in the same class as a LeBron or Wade. The Knicks really haven't had a guy like that. It's true.

youre an idiot



Reed played an important role in the Knick success, and in 1970 he became the first player in NBA history to be named the NBA All-Star Game MVP, the NBA regular season MVP, and the NBA Playoff MVP in the same season. That same year, he was named to the All-NBA first team and NBA All-Defensive first team, as well as being named as ABC's Wide World of Sports Athlete of the Year, and the Sporting News NBA MVP.Reed played an important role in the Knick success, and in 1970 he became the first player in NBA history to be named the NBA All-Star Game MVP, the NBA regular season MVP, and the NBA Playoff MVP in the same season. That same year, he was named to the All-NBA first team and NBA All-Defensive first team, as well as being named as ABC's Wide World of Sports Athlete of the Year, and the Sporting News NBA MVP.



willis reed for one won 2 finals mvp and 1 regular season but he's not a marquee player?

[NBA Junkie]

If Kobe counts HOF'ers as "role players" what does that make Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom?